Mechanical musical instrument.



J. MOTAMMANY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1902v RENEWED MAY 4, 1911. 1,010,780.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRMH CO.,WASHINGTON, D. C.

J. MoTAMMANY. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1902. RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

1,010,780.. Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON, n. c.

J. MUTAMMANY- MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED r1112. 14, 1902 RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

1,010,780, Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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APPLICATION FILED 211.14, 1902. RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

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COLUMIIA PLANOGRAPK c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. MOTAMMANY- MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 1-4, 1902. RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

1,010,780. Patented Dec.5,1911.

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WITNESSES: INVENTDR:

CDLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c

J. MGTAMMANY.

MECHANICAL MUSIGAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION TILED FEB. 14, 1902'. RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COWWASHINOTON, D. u.

J. MoTAMMANY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION mun 512.14, 1-902. RENEWED MAY 4, 1911.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

JOHN MCTAMMANY, OF WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T F. A. MGTAMMANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed February 14, 1902, Serial No. 94,094. Renewed. May 4, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Serial. No. 625,085.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MOTAMMANY, of lVoonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to mechanical musical instruments, and has certain features in common with the instrument illustrated in Letters Patent No. 692,207, granted to me January 29, 1902.

The object of said invention is to provide certain improvements for simplifying the action, and to otherwise improve, instru ments of the character to which reference is made. According to my invention, 1 am able to produce sustained tones as I provide a continuously moving picker adapted to be brought into proximity to a string at the proper time and caused to pick the string a predetermined number of times. I am thereby able to secure better musical effects than has been possible with musical instruments as heretofore constructed.

Of the drawings, which form a part of this specification,-Fi.gure 1 represents in front elevation a musical instrument equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same partly in section. Fig. 3 represents the upper portion of the instrument and shows the banjo with provisions for fretting and picking the strings. Fig. 4. represents a section on line 1% of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow a. Fig. 5 represents a partial rear elevation of the neck of the banjo with the adjacent fretting mechanism. Fig. (3 represents a section on line (-(3 of Fig. 41, looking in the direction of the arrow 6. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 77 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 8--S of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents a partial front elevation of the pick- -ing mechanism. F ig. 10 represents a view looking in the direction of the arrow 0, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal horizontal section through the picker-shaft. Fig. 12 represents a section on line 12 -12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 represents in detail a picker and the pinion which drives it. Fig. 14 represents another arrangement of mechanism for effecting the picking of the strings.

Referring to the drawings,which illustrate one embodiment of the invention to which it will be understood that I do not limit myself,-the instrument is shown as having a casing or frame which supports a stringed instrument such as a banjo or guitar. This instrument has a head 20, a neck 21 and the strings or sounding devices 22, of which there may be any suitable numher, for instance, four. Preferably the banjo is exposed to view. The picking and fret-ting of the strings is governed by the usual selector 23, which consists of an elongated sheetof perforated paper. In the present instance, string controllers or the parts which press the strings against the frets upon the neck to vary the pitch of the string are actuated pneumatically. The pickers, however, are driven mechanically independently of the selector and are brought to operative position by pneumatic mechanism governed by said selector. In combination with the stringed instrument, I employ a set of reeds for enhancing the musical effect. These are the general fea tures of the invention, and I will now proceed to describe them in detail.

The string controllers consistof rods passed through apertures in the neck 21 of the banjo, each rod having a head 31 which will engage the string and press it against a fret. Each string is provided with as many controllers as there are frets upon the neck. The end of each rod 30 is connected to a centrally fulcrumed lever 32, the other end of which is attached to a secondary pneumatic 33. The string controllers are held in an. inoperative or raised position by springs 34, said springs serving to hold the pnemnatics in an expanded position, as shown, each pneumatic having the usual bleeding vent, (not shown). The pneumatics are mounted in two tiers, as shown in Figs. 4t and 5, each pneumatic being connected with a duct 35 with which communicates a conduit 36, leading to one or the other of two chambers 37, 37 which contain primary pneumatics, such as usually employed and whichneed. no illustration, being fully shown and described in my Letters Patent, No. 692,207, hereinbefore referred to. Communicating with these two chambers is a wind-conductor 38, leading to a suction bellows 39, which is actuated by a crank-wheel 10 and a pitman 4:1. The crank-Wheel 40 is driven by a belt 42 from a motor, indicated conventionally at 43. The wheel is mounted upon a shaft M, which extends from side to side of the instrument, for a purpose to be described.

Leading to the primary pneumatic chambers 37 37 are conduits 45, one for each of the conduits 3G and the secondary pneumatics 33. The ends of these conduits L5 are arranged in a row and they are normally closed by the unperforated portions of the selector 23. Vhen a perforation registers with one of the conduits a5, air is allowed to flow therethrough to the chamber 37 and to the primary pneumatics therein, and immediately air is sucked from one of the conduits 36 to effect the actuation of a secondary pnuematic 33, and thereby bring the string controller which is connected thereto into engagement with the string so as to force it against the fret. The string will be held against the fret, so long as the perforation in the selector registers with the end of the conduit 45, but no longer.

The string controllers perform another function; that is to say, they directly con trol the valves for the reeds. Immediately behind the neck 21 of the banjo, there is a wind-chest communicating by the trunk 51, with the suction bellows 39 to normally exhaust the air from said chest or reduce the atmospheric pressure therein below the normal.

The string controllers pass through this chest, as shown in Fig. 1. Along each side of the neck of the banjo extends a reed-board 56 having a plurality of reeds 57. A duct 58 leads from each reed to a port 59 in the front wall of the wind-chest 50, through which port 59 extends one of the rods 30, and the reeds are so arranged that each is the same in pitch as the string when pressed against the fret by the rod 30, which passes through the port 59 for said reed. The ports are normally closed by valves 60, secured to the rods or string-controllers 30. .Vhen one of the secondary pneumatics 33 is actuated, the string controller is operated to fret the string and move the valve 60 away from the port 59 to permit air to be drawn through the reed 57 and the duct 58 into the wind-chest 50 to cause the reed to sound. The channels 58 are formed in a channel-board 62 which is interposed between the front wall 63 of the wind-chest and the sounding-board 64: of the reeds. The rear wall 65 of the wind-chest is of course apertured to receive the rods 30, but to prevent the inflow of air through said apertures, I place upon each of the rods 30, a metal washer G6 and a cloth or leather washer 67, and the spring 34 bears against said washers, as well as against the valves 60, and holds the washers 6667 against the inner face of the rear wall 65 of the wind chest. In addition to these springs performing the function of closing the valves 60 when permitted, and holding the washers against the rear wall 65, to prevent the ingress of air, they also open the secondary pneumatics when the supply of air to the conduits 45 is exhausted by reason of an unperforated portion of the selector registering with the open mouths thereof. This provides a simple and convenient mechanism and reduces the number of parts hitherto employed for accomplishing the fretting of the strings and the operation of the valves of the reeds.

I regard the arrangement of the reedboards in proximity to the neck of the banjo and the provision of the ducts 58 leading directly from the ports 59 through which the rods 30 pass as being highly desirable. The formation of the ducts 58 in the channel-board 62 obviates the necessity of providing mechanism intervening between the string-controllers and their penumatics and the reeds. The action is practically positive and greately reduces any chance of a failure to effectthe sounding of the reeds and the fretting of the strings.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9 to let, inclusive, I will now describe the mechanism by which the picking of the strings is effected. To the heads of the instruments are secured brackets 70 70 in which is journaled a shaft 71. The belt-pulley 72 is secured to said shaft and is connected by a belt 73 with a shaft 74, in turn belted to the shaft- 44. To the brackets 70 are adjustably secured forwardly projecting bars in which is journaled a shaft 82. Power is transmitted to said shaft 82 from the shaft 71 by a belt 83 and pulleys S4, 85.

Parallel to the shaft 82, there is a nonrotary shaft 86 which is fixed in the bars or supports 80. To prevent the shaft 82 from springing at its middle, it is connected to the non-rotary shaft 86 by brackets or connecting arms 87, which are connected together by a tie-rod 88. In the non-rotary shaft 86 are formed apertures 89 through which the strings 22 pass, said apertures being each large enough to permit the strings to vibrate without engaging the walls thereof. Secured to the shaft 82 in proximity to the strings 22 are pinions 90 equal in number to said strings. Each pinion intermeshes with the pinion 91 loose on the shaft 86 and adapted to slide relatively thereto. The pinions 91 are provided with axially extending pins 92 and constitute pickers for vibrating the strings Normally the pickers are held in inoperative position by springs 93, although as subsequently described, they may be held in inoperative position by other devices. The shaft 82 constantly rotates and therefore effects a continuous rotation of the pickers by reason of their toothed engagement with the pinions 90. Said shaft 82, and the pinions 90 thereon constitute an actuator, independent of the selector, for actuating the pickers.

In order to cause the pickers to move laterally by a sliding movement on the shaft 86 so as to engage the strings, I provide secondary pneumatics, shown at 95 in Fig. 2. There are four of these pneumatics and from each a conduit 96 leads to one of the chambers 37 for the primary pneumatics. There are four additional conduits 45, 45, similar to those hereinbefore described which are normally closed by the selector 23. When air is admitted to the conduits 45, which correspond to the conduits 96, air is withdrawn from said conduits 96 by the bellows 39 and the pneumatics 95 are actuated. Each pneumatic 95 is connected by a connecting rod 97 with a bell-crank 98, two of the said bellcranks being fulcrumed upon one of the brackets and two being fulcrumed upon the other bracket, as shown in Fig. 11.

The non-rotary shaft 86 is provided in its periphery with four longitudinal slots or grooves to receive rods 99. These rods are connected to the bell-cranks 98 and two of them extend in One direction and two in the other, overlapping at their ends as shown in Fig. 11. Each of the rods is bent up at its end as at 100, so as to engage one of the pickers and consequently when a bell-crank 98 is oscillated about its fulcrum, the rod 99 which is connected thereto will be drawn longitudinally to move the picker into position where it will be engaged with the string, as it is rotated by a pinion 90 connected therewith.

It will be observed that the pickers for the two left-hand strings in Fig. 11 are to the left thereof, and that the pickers for the two right-hand strings are to the right thereof. The right-hand pickers are, however, connected to the bell-cranks at the left side of the instrument and the left-hand pickers are connected to the pickers at the right of the instrument. Consequently, there is no compression strain upon the rods or bars 99, the strain being tensile. I have found, however, that if desired, the rods 99 may be relied upon to move the pickers, positively in either direction, or into and out of position and in Fig. 14, I have shown the ends of rods 99 as extending into grooves 102 formed in the hubs of the pickers 91. In this case, I dispense with the employment of the springs 93 and provide pneumatics95.

The perforations are so formed in the selector that when any one of the strings is fretted by the controller, the proper bell crank is operated to effect the engagement of a picker with that particular string, and the duration of tone produced by the string will be commensurate with the length of time that the picker is held in operative position. This is one of the greatest benefits that I secure by employing a constantly rotating picker, as the musical effect produced by this construction is superior to anything that has been previously produced. It is not at all essential that the parts should occupy the precise relation which I have described. Nor is it essential that the shaft 82 should be in front of the shaft 86. All that is necessary is to secure the proper coaction of the parts and the mechanical details may be varied as desired.

The desirable features of this invention will be apparent to any person skilled in the art to which it relates.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention, and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim is 1. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a sounding device, a shaft, a picker movable longitudinally of said shaft, a selector and intermediate connections which shifts the picker on its shaft to govern the action of the picker on the sounding device, and a rotary actuator independent of said shaft and said selector for actuating said picker.

2. A mechanical musical instrument, con prising a sounding device, a shaft, a picker movable longitudinally of said shaft, a selector and intermediate connections which shift the picker 011 its shaft to govern the action of the picker on the sounding device, and a toothed rotary actuator for rotating said picker independently of said shaft and said selector.

3. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a plurality of sounding devices, a series of rotary pickers, a shaft on which said pickers are loosely mounted, a rotary actuator independent of said shaft for actuating said pickers, and a selector and intermediate connections for shifting the pickers on their shaft to govern the action of said pickers on said sounding devices.

4. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a sounding device, a rotary picker movable in the direction of its axis of rotation, a rotary actuator for rotating said picker, means for continuously rotating the actuator, a shaft independent of said actuator for supporting said picker, and a perforated selector for governing the action of said picker on said sounding device, said selector having perforations of unequal length for varying the duration of tone of said sounding device.

5. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a sounding device, a rotary picker for the sounding device, a shaft for supporting the rotary picker, a supplemental shaft parallel to the picker-shaft, means on said supplemental shaft for actuating the picker,

and means for shifting the picker longitudinally of its shaft.

6. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a string, a picker movable toward and from said string, a stationary shaft for the picker, and a rotary actuator arranged parallel to the said shaft, and adapted to engage and rotate the pickers on the said shaft.

7. A mechanical musical instrument compris ng two parallel shafts, a series of independent rotary pickers on one of said shafts, means on the other of said shafts for actuating the pickers, and means for moving said pickers on their shaft into and out of picking position.

8. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a set of strings, a series of rotary pickers having axially extending pins for actuating said. strings, a perforated selector, and means independent of the selector for actuating the pickers to pick the strings.

9. A mechanical musical instrument comprising a set of strings, a series of rotary pickers, one for each string, a support for said pickers, holes in said support through which said strings extend, means for continuously rotating the pickers, and a perforated sheet governing the action of said pickers on said strings.

10. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a head, a fretted neck, string controller for pressing the strings against the frets, a series of parallel strings, a series of pickers, one for each string, a support for the pickers extending transversely to the strings and means for causing the pickers to move laterally on said support and to pick the strings.

11. A mechanical musical instrument comprising a set of sounding devices, means for varying the pitch thereof, a series of rotary pickers, a shaft supporting the pickers, a driving shaft, and gearing connecting said second shaft with the pickers to actuate them.

12. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a longitudinally grooved shaft, a series of pickers supported by said shaft, slides in the grooves of said shaft in mechanical engagement with the pickers and adapted to move the pickers to operative position, and means for actuating the slides.

13. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a sounding device, a grooved shaft, a rotary picker on said shaft, and a rod lying in the groove of said shaft for moving said picker longitudinally on said shaft.

14:. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising sounding devices, a grooved shaft, independently movable rotary pickers on said shaft, and means extending through the grooves of said shaft for moving said pickers longitudinally of said shaft.

15. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a non-rotary shaft, rotary pickers independently movable on said shaft longitudinally thereof, means independent of said shaft for rotating said pickers, and devices independent of said means for moving said pickers longitudinally of said shaft.

16. Amechanical musical instrument comprising strings, string controllers, a setof reeds adjacent to said strings, and valves for said reeds mounted on and actuated by said string controllers.

17. A mechanical musical instrument comprising a fretted neck, strings, a reed-board and a wind-chest in the rear of said neck and in proximity thereto, ducts connecting said wind-chest with the reed-board, string controllers passing through said wind-chest, and reed-valves secured to said string controllers and positively actuated thereby in both opening and closing movements.

18. A mechanical musical instrument comprising a fretted neck, a reed board on each side of and in proximity to said neck, a wind-chest, ducts leading from said windchest to the reed-boards, a set of strings, string-controllers passing through the mouths of said ducts, and valves carried by said string controllers.

19. A mechanical musical instrument, comprising a head, an elongated neck, a set of strings, a series of reeds on either side of said neck and in proximity thereto and adapted to play in unison with the strings, a wind-chest in the rear of the elongated neck and attached thereto, string controllers supported in holes in the neck and extending into the wind-chest, a series of wind-ways connecting the reeds with the wind-chest, valves on the string-controllers, and means for actuating the controllers.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN MGTAMMANY.

Witnesses H. B. MAY, C. C. STECHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

